1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a knitting element comprising a rotor and to a knitting machine.
2. Related Background Art
Conventionally, as technology in a field of this kind, a rotary knitting machine is known which forms stitches by using the rotary motion of a circular disk-shaped rotor (see, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,232). In this rotary knitting machine, hooks for capturing a knitting yarn are formed on the circumference of the main body of the round disk-shaped rotor. Teeth which mesh with a rack that moves linearly are formed on the circumferential surface of the main body of the rotor. The main body of the rotor is held by a holding guide which guides the circumferential surface of the rotor slidably, and is composed so as to rotate in accordance with the linear movement of the rack. Furthermore, in the rotary knitting machine described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,232, a plurality of rotors required for forming stitches are held by a holding guide having an integrated structure.
Furthermore, the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-126830 is disclosed as a knitting element comprising a rotor and knitting machine. The knitting element described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-126830 has a rotor which is rotatable about an axis, and a rotational axle which projects in the axial direction is provided on this rotor.
However, in the prior art technology described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,232 above, since a plurality of rotors required for forming stitches are held by a holding guide having an integrated structure, then there is a problem in that the rotation of the rotors cannot be controlled independently. Therefore, a knitting element which can be employed in a practicable knitting machine is demanded.
Furthermore, in the technology described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2010-126830, since a rotational axle which projects in the axial direction is provided on the rotor, then there is a problem in that processing costs are involved. Therefore, a knitting element which comprises rotors having a simple composition and which enables the rotation of the rotors to be controlled independently is demanded.